Homeowners and other property owners are well aware of the damage that can be caused by water that is allowed to pass through, around, or remain idle within an entryway. Unwanted water that finds its way between gaps can lead to wood rot and structural degradation. Over time the gaps may grow as components shift, exacerbating the problem of water entry. Eventually the structural integrity of the door unit assembly may be compromised, requiring full replacement.
As can be appreciated, gaps may occur wherever two materials or two elements are brought together. For example, a gap may occur between a threshold and a side jamb of an entryway. Other gaps may occur where a mullion joins a threshold.
Presently, the most common method of sealing these gaps requires the proper and sufficient application of caulk where two hard surfaces meet. Abutting hard surfaces rarely form water resistant seal themselves, and a seal only results when malleable caulk is provided therebetween.
In certain locations, sealing gaskets are used. The effectiveness of these seal gaskets, however, can be compromised by over-compression or under-compression that results due to the vagaries of the installation process. The effectiveness of these sealing gaskets also can be limited by high wear rates, or by using materials that may lose their initial elasticity, resulting in hardening of the material.
Therefore there is a need for a device that seals between entryway components under the proper degree of compression.
There is also a need for a device that provides the desired seal while limiting maintenance events that require replacement of the device.